Rechargeable Repairs Policy
1. Policy Statement
1.1 Castles & Coasts Housing Association (CCHA) aims to provide an excellent repairs service to residents in compliance with its legal obligations and under its tenancy agreements.
1.2 The aim of this policy is to operate a fair and consistent approach for all of our residents.
1.3 In order for our aim of a fair and consistent approach to be achieved, it is important that each case is dealt with on an individual basis and that all relevant factors, including any vulnerabilities, need to be considered by the appropriate member of staff before a recharge is raised.
1.4 References in this policy to damage caused by residents or former residents, includes damage caused by members of their household and/or visitors.
1.5 In the first instance, residents have the responsibility under their tenancy agreements to undertake repairs which have been caused by their own neglect and/or duty of care or that of visitors who have been invited to their home.
1.6 The Association does not tolerate damage or neglect to our properties or communal areas, as detailed in our tenancy agreements.
1.7 Residents will normally be recharged for repairs or works undertaken by the Association in the following circumstances:
• Where the repair is not the result of fair wear and tear and is not the Association’s legal responsibility.
• When a contractor has attended for an appointment and has been unable to gain access on more than one occasion (this will be the call out fee, if this has been charged to the Association by the contractor).
• When a contractor has attended and it is found that the repair is the responsibility of the resident.
• Where fly-tipping is identified to have been caused by a particular household.
1.8 In making a decision as to whether or not the repair is rechargeable, the Association’s Rechargeable Repairs Decision Matrix will be referred to.
1.9 We will not charge former residents for ‘Wear and Tear’. ‘Wear and Tear’ is defined as damage or depreciation that occurs as a result of normal use or natural ageing.
1.10 Former residents may be recharged if the Association incurs expense for repairing, clearing or cleaning a property when it has been vacated, including if expense is incurred in redecoration due to the poor decorative order in which the property has been left. Recharge values for terminating/former residents will be applied as per the Association’s Voids Standard Recharge costs.
1.11 Where possible, residents will be advised that they may be recharged:
• By the Customer Services Team when requesting a repair.
• By the contractor on site at the time the repair is being completed or other works are being carried out.
• By the Lettings and Neighbourhoods Officer, Surveyor, or any other member staff from CCHA when conducting a property/estate inspection or when visiting a resident in their home.
In all cases, where residents are informed that a recharge will be applied, an electronic record of this must be noted within CCHA’s housing system, and any correspondence to the resident saved within the electronic filing system.
1.12 In some cases it will not be possible to advise residents that they will be recharged at the time the damage is identified. For example, for current residents, a contractor or a Police Officer may inform a member of CCHA staff after having visited the property. In these cases, whichever team has received the enquiry will contact the resident to advise them that they have been notified of the damage, which is deemed to be rechargeable, so the resident can make arrangements to make good the damage
themselves (see section 3.2 below). For former residents, the damage or unsatisfactory condition of the property may only become known once the property has become void, and so there will be no opportunity for the resident to organise completion of the required works themself.
1.13 Recharges which are reported by residents will be logged, have jobs raised and sub-accounts created on resident accounts by the Customer Services Team. In these instances, an initial letter will also be issued by the Customer Services Team.
1.14 Recharges which are identified by members of staff will be logged and have jobs raised by the Customer Services Team, but sub-accounts will be created on resident accounts by the Income Team, and the initial letter issued by the Income Team.
1.15 The Income Team are responsible for pursuing all rechargeable repairs with residents via the current rent arrears or the former rent arrears process as applicable.
1.16 Residents will have access to an appeals/complaints process for any rechargeable repair. However, in the first instance (subject to any legislative requirements), disputes of recharges and the evidence to support the dispute, should be made to CCHA’s Income Team within two months of the invoice having been issued, and should include at least one the following criteria:
• Proof that the resident was not responsible for the damage (e.g. by providing a crime reference number).
• Evidence of vulnerability where this is a contributor to the damage/poor property condition.
• Evidence of the resident having reported the repair at the start of tenancy or during the period of the tenancy (in this case CCHA should also have no evidence that it has dealt with the repair satisfactorily).
• Evidence of there being a safeguarding issue (such as domestic abuse).